Himself
by Midori Jade
Summary: During SG1's second year, Jack O'Neill goes MIA. Six years later Samantha Carter finds out what happened to him. AU. JO, SO, but ultimately SJ.
1. Prologue

I gotta give you a couple of warnings. First off, my life is kinda of chaotic right now and I don't have a lot of time for writing, so the following chapters will come sporadically as time permits. Also tying into that, I write out of sequence. I've actually got a good chunk of the middle written, but not very much of the beginning. So I'll apologize in advance for the lack of timely updates.

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

**1998**

Jack awoke to an aching head besides the residual tingle of the zat blast. Apparently his captors hadn't been content to just zat him, they had to bash his skull in too. His back and arms were sore from having been bound behind him for an extended period of time.

He kept his breathing even and slowly opened his eyes to take in his study his surroundings. His eyes immediately focused on a pair of brilliant green ones that were staring back at him intently. He tried for a smile but it probably came out as more of a grimace, though the woman gave a tentative smile back.

Jack took a look around as much as he could lying bound on the ground. He was surround by his fellow prisoners who seemed mainly to be women with a couple of young girls and boys scattered about. Through the crowd he could see they were camped near the Stargate, but judging by the landscape they didn't seem to be on the same planet that he'd been captured on.

_Swell_, he thought bitterly. _I'm so going to kill Daniel if I ever get out of this. _

Only Daniel could be so arrogantly naive to believe these guys could have been anything other than slave traders when they had come across them at the ruins on P4C-389. Like the way they wanted to buy Carter hadn't been a dead give away, before they'd even seen the gaggle of imprisoned women being herded toward the Stargate. Only then was Daniel convinced and got his righteous dander up. He knew Carter hated that women seemed to be subjugated on many of the planets they visited and had likely gotten very angry at the plight the women would be facing when they got where they were going. Even given that she had enough had enough sense to lie low and see to the safety of her teammates first and foremost.

But Daniel?

Oh no, he had to go against the very firm, very direct order Jack had given him by managing sneak away to parley for the release of the women and getting himself captured in the process. Very smart, Doctor Jackson.

When they realized Daniel was gone, Jack had instructed Teal'c to make sure Carter got through the Stargate. There was no way in hell he'd allow her to suffer the same fate as these women. Then Jack went back for Daniel. He'd managed to get Daniel free but hadn't been so lucky himself. He didn't see Daniel anywhere around so he could only assume he had managed to escape.

Jack tried to lever himself up into a sitting position but could quite manage it with his hands tied behind him. The woman whose green eyes he had awoken to helped him to sit and kept him steady as he wobbled when his head began to spin. "Thanks."

She nodded her response.

"Where are we?" he asked hoping she would be able to understand him.

"The Barren Lands."

"That's the name of planet?" That seemed a hell of a depressing name for a planet.

"No, the planet is Temair," she told him in a soft lilting voice that reminded him very much of his Irish grandmother. "What's your name?"

"Alma. What's yours?"

"Jack O'Neill."

"O'Neill?" Alma asked, her eyes widening in wonder.

"Yeah," he answered slowly a little thrown off by the awe she suddenly seemed to hold him in.

"Are you here to-"

She wasn't able to complete her sentence because all hell had broken loose and it seemed they were descended upon by howling demons.

TBC


	2. Part 1

There will be some characters of Irish descent, but I'm not going to attempted an Irish accent. It would just come out a mockery. But that isn't to say there won't be the odd 'lass' or 'bonny' or whatever.

**

* * *

Part 1**

2004

Sam awoke. Part of her hoped to see her teammates tied up next to her, but the leader in her hoped that they had gotten away. The leader wasn't disappointed. She found herself lying on her side, her mouth gagged, her arms tied behind her, and her legs tied at the ankle. Her entire body was sore. She wondered how long she's been out and how far she had traveled, likely thrown over the back of a horse. She surveyed the area. A small stream was a couple feet away where the men who had captured her appeared to be watering their horses.

"Ah, the wee hellion is a awake is she?" A man bent down beside and smirked at her from behind his scraggly beard. His voice was tinged with something of a Irish or Scottish accent and she figured his people were likely of ancient Celt descent. "If you promise not to bite me again, I'll give you some water. You've got a fine set of teeth, you know that?" He waved a bandaged hand in front of her face. "How about it? You promise?"

Sam gave him an evil glare but nodded.

He pulled the gag from her mouth, carefully avoiding her teeth. He helped her sit up but didn't untie he hands. Instead he held a water skin up to her mouth and helped her drink. "Drink up, lass. This is the last water before the end of the Barren Lands."

"How far is that?"

"A long way. And don't be thinking about trying to escape. We're a fair piece from the Stargate as it is and you'll never make it through this territory without the proper supplies."

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the castle," he said smiling slyly. He knew she was trying to pump him for information.

"Why did you kidnap me?"

"Himself is in want of a wife and I think you'll make him a bonny bride. He likes spirited women." He glanced down at his bandaged hand. "Though I wouldn't advise biting him though." Then he laughed and gave her a lecherous grin. "Unless of course he enjoys that sort of thing."

"There's a small flaw in your plan," Sam told him trying to keep her voice calm. Why did everyone always seem to want make her a bride, concubine, or something equally disturbing? They never tried to kidnap her male teammates and force them into a life of prostitution. It wasn't fair and it pissed her off.

"Oh, aye and what would that be?"

"I'm already married."

He seemed to give that a little consideration, then asked, "Which of the men you were with was your husband?"

"None of them. My husband is on Earth, the planet we come from."

"Were they your brothers then?"

"My brothers in arms."

"Ah, warrior woman then," he grinned again and Sam might have thought he had a nice smile if he hadn't kidnapped her. "You do fight fiercely. I think you'll suit Himself just fine."

"I told you, I already have a husband."

"No matter," he replied dismissively. "He's not here is he? Besides he can't be any sort of man, can he then? Sending his wife out to traipse around on other planets and fight his battles. No, lass, you're better off without him. The Ui Niall is a great warrior. You'll not have to fight his battles. He's a good, kind man. Very handsome, so the women say. He'll make you a fine husband."

Her captor stood and dusted himself off. Apparently their conversation was through. He headed toward the other men and the horses and Sam called after him. "You making a big mistake. Huge! Gargantuan! My people will be coming for me. They're very powerful."

He turned back to her for a moment and smirked irritatingly at her. "They'll never make it across the Barren Lands before the snows come." He cast an eye up at the sky. "We may not either," he said with a shrug and then continued walking.


	3. Part2

A/N- The dialogue in italics is when people are speaking in Gaelic.

**

* * *

**

**Part 2**

Sam soon realized there was no way she could even think of escaping. 'Barren Lands' was not a misnomer. Ailin, the leader of her captors, soon realized it was not necessary to keep her bound. There was nowhere for her to go. She didn't even know which direct the Stargate was in.

She rode pillion in front of Ailin as they rode hard across the empty plains towards the distant mountains. The sky grew increasingly dark and the weather ever colder. She had worn a lined field jacket with a hood on this mission, but it wasn't enough in the cold wind. Ailin gave her a blanket and she had wrapped it around her, covering her face as much as she could. He had returned her sunglasses and she worn them to keep the wind from stinging her eyes. She knew she must have made a bizarre sight in her Woodland camouflaged fatigues and coat with the hood synched tightly around her head with a grey blanket wrapped around her face and shoulders like a Middle Eastern woman, and the rest her face covered with her big wrap around sunglasses.

Within three days they had made it to the base of the mountains, but unfortunately the sky opened up and a heavy snow began to fall. As they struggled through a concealed pass, one of the horses slipped and broke it's leg forcing them to kill it. The snow began to fall even heavier and Sam had very real concerns that they would all die here among the mountains.

Finally another two days later, they made it through more or less intact. The weather on the other side of the mountain range was not as severe. Partway down the side of the mountain was a castle jutting out looking like something out of a fairytale. It still took nearly a day to actually get to the castle. They rode though a small city built on the mountainside surrounding it before they reached the wall of the castle.

---

The guards had alerted Seamus that his brother had returned and Alma followed her husband out to the courtyard to meet them. They watched the group dismount. A woman had been riding in front of Ailin. When he tried to help her down she pushed him away and hopped down herself all the while glaring it at him. He just smiled good naturedly at her and tugged her toward Seamus and Alma.

"_What do you have there, brother?" _Seamus nodded this head toward the woman.

"_A wife for Himself."_

Alma was too shocked to even respond. Seamus gave a strangled cough and then cleared his throat. _"Oh, aye, and just where did you acquire this fair creature? The Ui Niall will not be happy if you've been out raiding."_

"_She came through the Stargate. I thought if Himself wasn't inclined to choose another wife from among our women then he might like an offworlder. She's a spirited lass, near bit my hand off and broke Darren's arm."_

"_He does like women with spirit," _Seamus agreed eying the woman speculatively, while she gave him an angry indignant glare. _"And she is quite comely." _

"_The Ui Niall doesn't want another wife," _Alma told the brothers. She was disgusted with her bother-in-law for kidnapping this poor woman in the first place and her husband for even considering that Himself would take any woman, offworld or not, to wife against her will.

"_He may like a mistress then," _Alain told her.

She could have strangled him in that moment but she restrained herself and was gratified to see him flinched a little under her look.

"_Don't glare at me so, sister. He's honored dear Fiona's memory long enough and a man has his needs."_

"_That may well be true. But not all men are such lecherous bastards out scouring the countryside for women to bed."_

"_I wasn't scouring. We just happened upon her and it seemed like a fine opportunity, so I took it."_

"_And when he is ready, you fool, I'm quite sure he'd like to pick his own woman, not one you snatched away from who knows where. Himself will not be happy with you and you know it."_

"_Alma, dearest," _Seamus began. "_It's not like we can take her back until after the snows anyway."_

"_That's true," _Alain quickly agreed with his brother. _"We liked to have not made it through the pass as it was."_

"_Perhaps she'll grow on him." _

---

Sam stood watching the conversation or rather the argument. She knew they were talking about her, but couldn't understand what they were saying. They seemed to be speaking some variation of Gaelic. The woman seemed very put out that they had kidnapped Sam. Finally the woman seemed to issue something that sounded an awful lot like a curse to the two men, and pushed past them toward Sam. Her voice had a kind note to it when she addressed Sam but she didn't know what she was saying.

"I'm sorry I can't understand you ."

The woman nodded and smiled, "I'm Alma, chatelaine here."

"I'm Sam," she greeted as friendly as she could under the circumstances. This woman, Alma, could perhaps prove to be a potential ally.

"Come with me," Alma gestured her forward. "We'll get you a hot bath and food. Then you can retire for the night. It's a long hard ride from the Stargate. You must be very tired."

"It would be nice. Thank you."

Sam followed Alma through the castle. The castle and everyone in it looked like something out of some medieval epic or sword and sorcery movie. The women all wore long skirts, their hair done up in braids and frequently covered. The men generally seemed to have long, sometimes scraggly hair and beards, most wearing a leather jerkin or coat over their homespun pants and shirt.

"Alma?"

"Aye?"

"I can't marry this person they want me to marry," Sam told her. "I already have a husband back home."

She smiled and gave a chuckle, "Oh, I wouldn't worry to much about that, no matter what my daft husband and his brother might think. Himself isn't in want of a wife. He's not had eyes for any woman since poor Fiona died giving birth to his son. All his affection is bestowed on wee Sean."

"He must have loved his wife very much."

Her smiled slipped a little, "They were great friends. He blamed himself that she died there was naught he or anyone else could do. But Sean is the light of his life. He smiles for no one but that dear boy."

"He sounds like a good man," Sam said. Alma obviously thought very highly of him.

"He is. He has done a great deal for our people. And I can tell you, lass, he will not be at all happy when he hears Ailin has abducted you. He has forbidden raiding for women and slaves."

"He'll release me then?"

"Of course, but you'll have to winter with us. There's no way to safely make it back to the Stargate this time of year. He'll see you safely back home in the spring."

"And how long will that be?"

"Four or five months depending on if the winter is particularly harsh."

"Great. Why couldn't he have visited in the summer?"

* * *

Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming and let me know how I can improve.


	4. Part 3

**A/N- **Just a small bit to tide you over, because I may not have very much time in my schedule next week to devote to writing. And again the dialouge in itlaics is in Gaelic.

* * *

**Part 3**

It was shortly after dawn when Jack trudged up the stairs to his room. He wanted nothing more than to fall face first into bed and sleep for a couple of weeks straight. Maybe a long hot bath too. He had a sneaking suspicion that he smelt very similar to his horse. Not to mention his aching muscles. Oh, he really was getting too old for spending a couple of weeks trekking all over the place on horseback.

_"Ui Niall,"_ Seamus greeted him at the landing, looking like he'd been pulled very inconveniently from his bed. _"It's good to see you returned to us safely."_

Jack stopped glancing up at his friend. Even as tired as he was there was something that Jack had to know before he gave into to blissful sleep. _"Seamus, can you tell me why every person I've come across from the stables to here has congratulated me on my upcoming wedding?"_

_"They have, have they?"_ Seamus questioned, continuing up the stairs causing Jack to follow.

_"You don't think that's odd?"_

_"Err, not as odd as one might think, my lord,"_ he replied, climbing the stairs a little quicker.

Jack grabbed his arm and turned him around to face him. _" 'My lord' is it?"_ he narrowed his eyes at the other man suspiciously. _"Seamus, what have you done?"_

_"I haven't done anything,"_ Seamus cleared his throat uncomfortably and his eyes refused to meet Jack's. _"But my brother may have acquired you a bride."_

_"May have?"_ Jack asked very quietly, knowing he was not going to like the answer. _"What the hell does that mean?"_

Seamus finally met his eye and gave a rather nervous smile. _"That you may not want to take her to wife, but that doesn't mean you would want to, ah… take her to bed."_

Jack closed his eyes and tried to keep himself as calm as possible because he was sure there was a very logical explanation that didn't include defying one of his most explicit orders. _"And pray tell, how did Ailin 'acquire' this woman? Did he kidnap her?"_

_"Yes, but-"_

_"Ah!"_ Jack silenced him ._ "No buts! What the hell is wrong with him? Haven't I just come back from gathering the hostages to keep the peace among the clans and your brother, one of my right hand men goes out and steals a wife for me? We could have a war on our hands. Where did he take her from?"_

_"From near the Stargate. She's an offworlder."_

_"And she could be a Goa'uld for all he knows. Idiot,"_ he muttered running a hand through his dirty hair. _"Where is she?"_

_"In the Lady of the Castle's rooms."_

_"You gave her Fiona's rooms!"_ he yelled, his anger fully unleashing. _"I suppose so I could sneak into her room at night and have my wicked way with her without anyone being the wiser, huh? What the hell is wrong with you people? I don't want a kidnapped woman for a wife. Hell, I don't even want a wife. And I don't want a mistress either. And if I did want either I could acquire them without kidnapping them." _Jack took a deep breath and tried to get his temper firmly under control. _"You will have the guards arrest Ailin and his men. I will not stand for kidnapping innocent women."_

_"Yes, my lord."_ Seamus replied diffidently and left back down the stairs.

Jack turned to climb the rest away up the stairs. Alma stood at the top._ "Surely you don't approve of this do you, Alma?"_

She shook her head. _"Of course not, Jack. I know what it's like to be ripped from your family. But I think they just want to see you happy again."_

He scowled at that. _"Stealing me a woman doesn't make me very happy."_

_"The old ways die hard."_ Alma shrugged.

Jack followed her down the hall. _"I want to see her. To apologize."_

_"I'll make sure she's up."_

Jack nodded and made his way to his room a connecting sitting room the only thing separating it from the stolen woman's room.

"What a mess."


	5. Part 4

**Part 4**

Sam was awakened by someone shaking her. She tried to ignore them hoping they would go away. Nothing could be as important as burying herself further under the heavy down comforter and sleeping for about two more weeks. But the evil person trying to wake her would not be deterred. "What?" she complained, reluctantly pulling the blankets from her head. She glared up at Alma who Sam was quite sure was very close to laughing at her, probably at her wild bed head.

"Himself wishes to see you," Alma told her.

She really wanted to tell her Himself could go to hell, but seeing how she would likely be relying on Himself's goodwill and hospitality in the coming months Sam decided she best get up. It took a good deal of effort for Sam to make it to the edge of the bed. The feather mattress and the rope 'springs' meant that Sam had ended up cocooned in the middle of the bed.

She finally made it out and quickly slipped on the shearling slippers to protect her feet from the cold flagstones. Alma held out an indigo wool robe for her and she pulled it on over the long trailing nightgown she'd been given the night before. Alma handed her a comb and held up a small hand mirror, the surface made of some sort of highly polished metal. Sam ran the comb quickly through her mussed hair and got it tamed more or less respectably.

It was cold in the room, the fire was still banked and she could see the sun had not yet risen outside the window. She pulled the robe tightly around her, the fox-like fur trim tickling her nose slightly. She walked through the door Alma opened into a comfortably furnished sitting room. She shut the door behind Sam. She didn't see Himself at first, though there was a sword and various over-garments strewn carelessly over several pieces of furniture.

Then her attention was drawn by movement at the fireplace. There was a man kneeling there poking at the beginnings of a fire. Sam stood silently studying the man she had been kidnapped to marry. He was dressed in browns and greens in a style similar to what she'd seen others wear here but it seemed slightly different somehow. His grey hair was cut short unlike most of the men she'd seen so far. It stuck up wildly in all directions and seemed in need of a trim if he was going to maintain the short style. He had at least several days growth of beard on his face and it was a darker grey than his almost silver hair.

She must have made some movement or sound she wasn't aware of, because his head turned toward her and he quickly stood. "I didn't hear you come in," he apologized. "I was just starting a fire. It's a bit chilly this morning."

There was something about him that seemed terribly familiar, but she couldn't place it. He must have felt the same way because he stood motionless staring at her equally mystified.

Then she saw the pieces click together behind his dark eyes, eyes that were so familiar. "Holy crap! Carter."

Suddenly she was in a giant bear hug, his arms enveloping her firmly. "Colonel O'Neill? Oh my god." Her arms went around him, holding him just as tightly. "We thought you were dead."

Sam didn't know how long they stood there clinging to each other. At some point tears of relief seeped from her eyes. Colonel O'Neill's long fingers ran comfortingly through her hair, soothing her. She remembered he had always given the best hugs. Finally she began to pull away a little embarrassed by her tears, but mostly after her initial burst of emotion she realized he smelled very strongly of horses and the road.

"You don't know how good it is to see you," he told her huskily, overcome with emotion himself.

"You don't know how good it is to see you alive, sir."

" 'Sir'? C'mon, Carter, I've been AWOL for six years."

"You've really been presumed dead." She smiled at him, "I'm glad you're not."

"Me too." He smiled back at her. It was the first time she could ever remember him truly smiling, not sardonically or smirking. There was something very boyish about it that conflicted with the grey in his hair and the lines etched in his face. "Captain Carter, it seems you've made quite a habit out of getting kidnapped to be prospective bride, haven't you? At least there's no wacky headdress and veil this time."

Sam blushed slightly remember the incident in SG-1's first year and the outfit he was referring to. "Actually, it's Lieutenant Colonel Shanahan," she corrected.

"Lieutenant Colonel. Wow! I'm impressed, Carter. I'm proud of you," he grinned broadly at her.

"Thank you, sir," she couldn't stop herself from blushing again. Her former CO's pride in her meant almost as much as her father's.

"And married too. How 'bout that? I'm kinda surprised you found time for that."

"Me too."

"Don't tell me you got kids too."

"No, we've only been married for about three months."

"Your husband'll be worried sick. Unfortunately, you'll be stranded here until the spring thaw." A shadow fell over his face and he lost his smile. "Ailin defied my strictest rule by kidnapping you and he will be punished. I really am truly sorry. I wish there was some way to get word to the SGC."

Sam knew Pete and her team would be worried, but right now seeing Colonel O'Neill alive overshadowed her concern for them. "I wish I wasn't trapped here, but you don't know how good it is to see you alive and well, sir."

"Ah! Stop with the 'sirs'. I've got enough people bowing and scrapping."

"What? It's not good to be king?" she teased.

"Oh, funny." Jack sighed heavily. "Man, gotta love Mel Brooks. What I wouldn't give to see that movie again. Or the Simpson's. I don't suppose you can give me six years worth a recaps."

"Sorry."

"Oh, well."

The door flew open with a bang and they both turned at the noise. There seemed to be three blurs of motion on a direct trajectory to Jack.

"Da! Da! You're back."

Jack bent down and scooped up the first blur which turned out to be a little boy about four years old. The other two were a pair of dogs along the lines of border collies. One brown and white, the other black and white. The dogs milled around Jack's legs impatiently seeking his attention.

The little boy was clinging tightly to Jack's neck and he tried loosen the boy's hold, "C'mon, Sean, let go a little. You're choking me."

"I missed you, Da. You were gone a long time."

"I know, kid. I'm sorry. I won't be leaving again any time soon." Jack shifted the boy to his hip and brought his attention to Sam. "See, this lady here. This is Sam Carter. You remember me telling you about her."

The little boy was the exact miniature image of Jack from his piercing deep brown eyes to his hair that refused to be tamed, though it was the reddish brown color Jack had had when she first met him. He scrutinized Sam for a moment assessing her and then turned back to his father. "She's the really smart one."

Jack smiled at his son. "Yes, she is. And she's going to be visiting with us for the winter. Won't that be nice?"

Sean glanced at Sam a little warily. "I guess. Are you going to marry her, Da?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "No, Sean. She's already got a husband. Besides what would she want with an old man like me?"

"But Liam said his Da brought her to be your wife"

"Uncle Ailin kidnapped Carter," Jack spoke very firmly. "He took her away from her family and that's a very bad thing."

Sam watched with some amusement as Jack and his son interacted. Sean obviously had Jack wrapped around his little finger. She knew he'd always loved children and she was glad that he'd gotten a second chance to have them. Jack lowered Sean to the floor and gave the two dogs a quick pat each. "Carter, this is my son, Sean," he told her in pride.

Sam knelt down in front of the boy. "Hey, Sean. How are you?"

"Very well, thank you," he responded politely taking her outstretched hand. "How are you?"

Sam grinned at the little gentleman. "A lot better since I've found you and your dad." She stood turning her attention back to Jack who was giving the dogs much demanded attention. "The rest of the family?" she asked.

"Yeah, this is Marge," he indicated the black and white dog then the brown and white one, "And Homer."

"Of course," she said giving each dog a scratch behind the ears.

There was a knock at the door and Jack glanced up at Alma. "Would you like me to have breakfast sent up?" she asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Then I'd really like a bath"

Sean nodded vigorously in agreement, "You stink, Da"

Jack ruffled his son's already wild hair, "Thanks, kid. I love you, too."


	6. Part 5

A/N- Sorry about the long wait. I've been very busy with work and I've rewritten this part several times. I'm still working on the last half of the chapter but I'd thought I'd go a head and post this little tid bit to tide you over. Also I apologize for not responding individually to your lovely reviews, but as I said time has been most pressing of late. Thanks for reviewing and please continue to offer your comments and criticism. Thanks again.

* * *

Jack sat very still as Alma trimmed his overly long hair with a large pair of shears. Marge and Homer lying at his feet practically on top of them in an effort to become closer to their master.

"_You're smiling, Jack,"_ Alma told him.

"_So?"_

"_It isn't because of Sean."_

"_How do you know? I'm glad to be home with him."_

"_You smile at wee Sean differently. You used to smile at Fiona like this. Our guest had made you smile hasn't she?"_

"_Oh for… Not you too, Alma, please." _Jack sighed heavily. _"Carter's from Earth. She was on my team before I came here. We were friends."_

"_Lovers?" _

"_No!" _Jack jerked away from her and turned in his chair to face her. _"No," _he repeated more calmly, realizing by her smile that she was just winding him up. A quirky smile formed on his face when he remembered her attacking him in the locker room when they had that alien virus. That had been fodder for quite a few inappropriate fantacies.

"_What?" _she questioned seeing his expression. _"Did you want her?"_

"_There was a certain amount of attraction I guess. She is a very attractive woman. I'm not blind, Alma. She's really, really smart, too." _He turned back around and Alma began on his hair again. "_But it wasn't anything more that an attraction. It couldn't be," _he said a little more somberly. Jack remembered that alternate reality Daniel had encountered where he and a civilian Carter had been engaged. He couldn't help thinking 'what if ' for a bit after that, but finally dismissed the idea in his reality.

"_Because of she was married?" _

"_She wasn't married then. She was my second in command and it was against the rules of our military."_

"_She's a warrior?"_

"_Oh, yeah," _he said, smiling broadly as he remembered Carter taking down that Gengas Khan reject._ "Carter's a hell of a warrior. You ought see her in a knife fight. Viscous."_

"_I hear she broke Donal's arm trying to escape."_

"_Good for her. They'll be lucky I don't break all there necks for this." _


	7. Part 6

A/N- Here's another small bit. Hope all the exposition isn't too boring.

* * *

Sam had never had any one to help her dress before, but she had to admit that she probably wouldn't have been able to get into the gown she had been provided with on her own. Maeve, the quiet girl who seemed to be her personal maid for the duration her stay, quickly laced the dress up in the back. Sam was sure one would have to be a contortionist to do it alone. At least there was no corset. Maeve tied the strings at Sam's wrists in neat bows and then stood back to survey her work so far.

"It's too short," she told her.

Sam looked down. The hem was a good five inches of the floor and she had to admit it looked rather silly that way. Sam had always hated being tall. She'd always had to buy extra long pants and most brands didn't come in varying lengths. Not to mention a great deal of men were shorter than she was. Her own husband was slightly shorter than Sam. She hated wearing heels around Pete.

Maeve had settled on the floor at her feet and had begun ripping out the hem. A short while later the she had not only let out the hem as far as it would go, but added a bit of contrasting fabric at the bottom to further lengthen it. She tied the remaining bit of fabric around Sam's waist to make a matching sash. She stood and then began eyeing Sam's hair. "Were you sick?"

"No, why?" Sam asked, self consciously touching her hair her short hair.

"It's so short. Do all women on your world have such short hair?"

"No it's a personal preference. Some have long and some have short. I just find it easier to take care of this way."

"Your husband approves?"

"It's my hair not his," Sam replied the defensively. The truth was while Pete had never directly said anything to her regarding her hair length; he had insinuated longer hair was more attractive. But honestly who had time for styling long hair to Air Force specifications when you were running around saving the world every other day.

Maeve shrugged and sat her down in front of a dressing table with a small mirror of polished metal. She began running a brush through Sam's hair.

"I can do that myself," Sam told her, but Maeve ignored her and continued to toy with her hair, trying to decide what to do with it.

After a few minutes, Maeve told her, "I'll return in a moment."

Sam waited and stared at the mirror before her trying to figure out what the highly polished surface was made of. It was a silver colored metal, but it wasn't silver or steel. It could possibly trinium, which a really exciting thought. Earth had been looking for a new source of trinium as the continued to build their fleet of X-304s and F-302s. It would certainly help that Colonel O'Neill was the effective ruler of the planet.

Sam had to laugh at the thought of Colonel O'Neill as ruler of a planet. Not that he wasn't an effective leader though. She knew from personal experience that Jack O'Neill was a man that could inspire people to follow him anywhere, hell or high water. But to have found him here after all these years of believing him dead, to be kidnapped to be his bride, _that_ was completely ridiculous.

He had a hell of a story to tell as well. After Jack had been captured by the slavers, he was brought to this world were they were supposed to trade for some prisoners a clan had captured in a raid on a rival clan. Alma had been one of those intended for slavery off world. Her clansmen led by her father-in-law, Auld Sean, had attacked the slavers and rescued most of the prisoners, including Jack. They had escaped across the Barren Lands and through the mountains. It had been close to this time year and Jack had been stranded much as she was over the winter months.

Apparently, the O'Neills were once the High Kings of Ireland and whatever Goa'uld had snatched the ancient Irish up from Earth decided that the O'Neills would be far too troublesome and left them their. This made Jack something of a mythic figure to these people. Auld Sean had been trying for some years to unite the warring clans into a more peaceful, productive society and he realized Jack was just the thing he needed, a great warrior with a legendary name.

By the time spring had come around Jack had become something of a living legend and more clans were aligned than ever. Jack, lacking a GDO, made the tough decision to stay on Temair on fight for peace instead of trying to find a way back to Earth. More than a year later the clans were united and at peace for the first time in thousands of years. It was decided that an O'Neill should once again be their leader on the condition that he marry one of the natives to ensure he wouldn't up and decide to head back to Earth. So Jack had married Fiona, Auld Sean's daughter and Seamus and Ailin's sister. Jack and Fiona had not loved each other but they had been good friends and cared a great deal about each other. Fiona had died giving birth to Wee Sean a year later.

Jack had told Sam the whole story over breakfast and had only just asked about Daniel, Teal'c, and Cassandra when they had been interrupted. Jack had left to handle the issue at hand and she had on Alma's suggestion returned back to bed. Sam surprised herself by sleeping the rest of the day away, but the arduous trip and excitement at seeing Colonel O'Neill alive and well quite wore her out. She had awakened only when Maeve came in to help her dress for the feast tonight.

It wasn't long before Maeve came back bearing a set of combs and a matching broach. They were a Celtic interlocking knot design and made of the same metal as the mirror. She parted Sam's hair down the middle and pinned it back away from her face with the combs. The result was looked like a 1940s hairstyle to Sam and didn't look half bad. When she was through Maeve bid her to stand and she pinned the broach at the center of the modest neckline.

Sam examined herself as well as she could in the small mirror and though that the finished result was quite nice. A lot better than some of the other native costumes she'd worn before.

"Thank you for your help."

Maeve nodded and told her, "Someone will be by in a bit to escort you to the Hall."


	8. Part 7

A/N- Sorry for the delay on this part. I got caught up in things at work and then went on a little vacation. I know this part is short but I hope to have another bit up later tonight.

* * *

As it turned out Jack was the one that came to take Sam down to the Great Hall. At his knock, Sam opened the door revealing the man behind it. He was clean shaven and simply dressed in plain tunic and pants of a blue so dark it was almost black. The edge of his white shirt was just barely visible above the high collar and at his cuffs. The austereness suited him and the color complimented his newly trimmed silver hair. His tall black boots were polished to a parade ground sheen. The only adornments he wore was the buckle of his belt wrought in a complicated Celtic knot of shiny silver metal and a dagger with a similar elaborate pattern on the handle and sheath.

She couldn't help blurting out, "You look more like Colonel O'Neill now."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked smirking at her. "Who'd I look like before?"

She shrugged a little uncomfortably, "Some scruffy looking bandit."

He seemed to be amused by that and treated her to a smile. "Well, you look nice, no veils or nothin'."

"Thanks. I've gave up the veil thing after you left," she returned his smile. "I think I've shocked everyone with my hair. Or lack of hair though."

"It looks good," he assured her. "You'll probably start a fad or something. You ready to chow down?"

"I am a bit hungry."

"C'mon, then."

He led her down the corridor and Sam noticed he was limping slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Sure. I'm not as young as I used to be, Carter," he told her with a self-conscious grimace. "The gimp knee acts up in cold weather. Especially after the hard riding we did the last couple of days."

"I'm a little sore myself," she admitted, hoping it would ease his embarrassment.

They entered a huge room with tall vaulting ceilings and two big fireplaces at each end. It was filled with several long tables piled high with food. A hundred or so people were already seated at the tables. Sam stopped in the doorway feeling a little overwhelmed. Jack's hand was at the small of her back as he nudged her forward to the head table. He led her to a chair at his right.

Jack stood behind his large chair and addressed the crowd. "I'd like to welcome all our guests. I hope you will be happy here during your stay and that your respective clans will behave themselves and we can avoid any sort of unpleasantness." He gestured to Sam. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter-"

"Shanahan," Sam hissed. She couldn't understand how he could remember the Lieutenant Colonel part but not the Shanahan part.

"Lieutenant Colonel Samantha _Shanahan_," he amended. "She is not my wife, my betrothed, nor my mistress. She is a warrior of the Tauri and she _will_ be treated with the same respect you hold me. Is that understood?" He waited until there was a chorus of affirmatives before sitting.

Jack's speech made Sam a little self conscious as she sat down next to Alma and across from Seamus. Food began being passed around. During dinner Sam briefly filled in Jack on what had been happening at the SGC since he had been gone. She told him about how General Hammond removed Daniel from SG-1 after what had happened and that Daniel was now head of the archeology and linguistics department. Sam could detect a bit of carefully concealed anger in Jack's manner when she began to discuss Daniel. She was well aware that Jack O'Neill could hold one hell of a grudge, so she wasn't' terribly surprised.

"I probably made a bad call letting a civilian scientist be on the team anyway," he said.

"He was distraught about losing you, Jack," Sam told him. She wasn't able to forget the night when Daniel had gotten wasted and confessed to her and Teal'c far more than they ever wanted to know about his feelings for Jack. He hadn't even been that upset over losing Sha're.

Jack merely grunted in response and maneuvered the topic to Teal'c. Sam related how the Jaffa rebellion was succeeding far beyond their expectations thanks in great part to Bra'tac and Rya'c. Jack was shocked that Rya'c was old enough to get married. Sam had him laughing about Teal'c's adventures living off base with the other alien member of their team, Jonas Quinn and the efforts of John Sheppard, the final member of the team, to educate the aliens about Tauri pop culture.

"So you're in command of SG-1 now?" he asked.

"Yeah, for about a year now."

"Who was in command before then?"

"Dave Dixon."

"Yeah."

"Good. He's a good man."

"He is. He's in charge of the SGC now. General Hammond is in Washington heading up Homeworld security."


	9. Part 8

After dinner was completed and cleared away the tables were pushed aside. The crowd gathered in around Jack who had taken up position in front of one of the massive fireplaces. "Bring in the prisoners," he ordered.

Ailin and his men were brought in bound and forced to kneel in front of Jack. A shiver of sympathy ran down Sam's back. While Jack wasn't pretending to be a god, he did hold these men's lives in his hands and Sam had definitely been in their position before.

Jack towered above them his expression icy and angry. He gestured Sam forward. "Are these the men that kidnapped you?"

"Yes," she glanced over the men as they kneeled before her, stoic and accepting of whatever punishment their leader decided to meet out.

Jack pulled his dagger out of it's sheath and toyed with it as he casually walked down the line of his prisoners casting his disapproving gaze at them. They seemed to wither a little under his disapproval. He stopped in front of Ailin. "You, Ailin, my own brother, defied one of my strictest laws by abducting this woman. You do realize that, don't you?"

"Aye, my lord."

"You took her from her friends, her family, and her husband. You are a brother and husband. Did you not think what pain you would cause the people who care for her and what retribution they might bring on us?"

"No, my lord."

"You could have been bringing a Goa'uld into our midst, but luckily she isn't. She is a warrior of the Tauri and you have prevented her from doing her duty and fighting a war to save this galaxy from great evil." Jack turned to Sam then and handed his dagger to her. "They were intent on taking your life from you. Their life is in your hands."

Disbelieving Sam met his eyes. Sure he had been a little theatrical up until now, but how could he ask her to order their deaths? She was of course angry, but she was also grateful to them for reuniting her with Colonel O'Neill. He met her gaze unflinchingly. She realized that he didn't want them dead any more than she did but he could not afford to be perceived as weak or accused of favoritism. "I don't believe a few months away from home is worth their deaths."

Jack nodded and she could see the approval in his eyes. "As you wish." He focused his attention back on the men before him. "You're lucky the lady has a merciful heart, but I can't allow this to go unpunished." He paused as if thinking of a suitable punishment but Sam was sure he made his mind up long before now. "Ailin, you and your men will be confined to the castle as long as Carter is forced to remain on this world and you will be her personal escort whenever she decides to go into the town. If anything happens to her or you disobey me again, you will die. Do you understand?"

"Aye, my lord."

"Release them," he said to the guards. Sam tried to give his dagger back, but he refused, "Keep it. You might still decide you want Ailin's balls for this after all," he said casting a feral grin over her shoulder at the man in question.

After the little matter of justice had been settled, the entertainment for the night began. Everyone gathered in front of the fire and a succession men came forward to regale them of tales of great heroism and mostly tragic love. Most of the stories were told in Gaelic and Sam sat next to Jack as he whispered the translations in her ear. She tried to ignore and dismiss the shivers that ran down her spine at the feel of his warm breath on her skin.

At some point during the night Sean had snuck from his bed and sleepily sat in his father's lap listening to the tales. After a while the bards ceased their stories and several men began playing slow quiet music. Sam watched Jack gently cradling his sleeping son. His eyes were distant and unfocussed and she was curious about what he was thinking about. She wondered where he would have been if he hadn't gotten captured and lost. Would he have retired by now or would he have died at the hands of some power mad Goa'uld? Would he have found someone to share his life with and had a child that he loved as much as he clearly loved Sean? She wondered if he was truly happy here or did he long to return back to Earth. She wondered how different her life would have been if he had remained part of it.


	10. Part 9

Sorry about lack of updates but life has been insane lately and has left me no time for writing. Here's a very small update, but I hope to have more in a couple of days.

* * *

The next morning Sam, depression settling over her, sat at her window bench staring blindly out at the light fall of snow. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there when a light knock came at the door leading to the sitting room. She swiped her tears away and called out, "Come in."

The door opened revealing Jack. He cast his gaze around the room until it fixed on her at the window. "I wasn't sure you'd be up," he said walking over to her, Homer trailing after him.

"I've been up for a while," she said turning her head to look out the window. She didn't want him to know she was crying. When he was her CO she always tried so hard to be strong for him to be the soldier he expected. She could bear him thinking her weak.

He sat down beside her and studied her silently so long it made her nervous. Finally he looked away from her studied the room around them. "You're not a prisoner, Carter. You don't have to stay in your room all the time."

"Where would I go?"

"Where ever you want."

"I want to go home." She hadn't meant to say that but it came out none the less. She shut her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall again.

She started when she felt his hand on his knee. Sam opened her eyes and met his dark eyes filled with a deep concern an not a little guilt. "I know. I've been there. And if there was anyway I could get you safely back I would."

Sam nodded and attempted to smile. "I know. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be whiney, but now that things have kind of calmed down it's just really set in that I'll be here for a long time."

"You're not whiney, Carter. There's nothing wrong with missing home."

"Do miss it still? Earth?"

"Yeah, sometimes," he said quietly. "In the quiet times or when I make a joke no one understands. But I wouldn't trade anything for Sean, even all the Simpson tapes on Earth."

"They're actually on DVD now. No one uses VCRs any more."

"DVD?"

"It's like a CD but plays movies."

"Cool."


End file.
